Many computer users have experienced mysterious or intermittent dinging, buzzing, or beeping sounds coming from their machines. These strange noises can be distracting, annoying, or even concerning if you’re not sure what’s causing them. A variety of issues ranging from hardware problems to software bugs could be triggering odd sounds from your computer.
This guide will walk you through potential sources of unexplained computer noises and steps you can take to diagnose the root cause. Knowing why your machine is dinging and buzzing can help you address the problem or determine if the noise is harmless. With some basic checks and troubleshooting, you’ll be on your way to quieting those perplexing PC sounds.
Check Notification Settings
The first step is to check your notification settings in Windows. Open the Settings app and go to System > Notifications & actions. Here you can review and adjust the notification sounds for your operating system. Windows lets you customize notification sounds for specific apps as well. You can mute notifications for apps you don’t want to hear dings from.
It’s also a good idea to check the notification settings within individual programs. Many apps have options to customize notification sounds and enable/disable various notification types. For example, in Chrome you can go to Settings > Notifications and customize which types of notifications make sounds. The same is true for messaging apps, social media platforms, and other programs. Review the notification settings for apps that you commonly use.
If a particular app seems to be the source of annoying or repetitive dings, adjusting its notification settings specifically can help resolve the issue without muting all system sounds. Refer to the app’s help documentation if you need assistance locating its notification settings.
Sources:
Changing the Windows 10 Action Center notification sound
Update Drivers
Outdated or faulty drivers are a common source of odd noises coming from your computer. As Microsoft explains, “Audio sounds horrible after driver update” (source). Updating your drivers, especially audio and graphics drivers, can resolve distorted, crackling, or absent sounds. Ask.com notes, “Similarly, an outdated audio driver might result in distorted sound or no sound at all” (source). Outdated graphics drivers may also cause fan noises to increase as the GPU works harder (see Reddit discussion here). Keeping your drivers up-to-date is key to avoiding odd noises and ensuring proper performance.
Scan for Malware
Malware is a common cause of random or strange noises coming from a computer. Malware refers to malicious software like viruses, spyware, adware, and ransomware that get installed without your consent. Some types of malware are specifically designed to generate random sounds as a way to annoy users or distract them from noticing more harmful actions.
For example, malware called MyDoom played random audio clips from speeches and popular media as part of its payload, according to Reddit users[1]. Other malware dubbed SoBig generated low pitched virus noises[2]. These sounds are meant to scare or confuse computer users.
To check if malware is causing strange noises or other issues on your computer, run a full system scan using reliable, up-to-date anti-malware software. This will detect and remove any malware that may have been installed without your knowledge.
Check Physical Components
Fans, hard drives, and optical drives inside your computer case can sometimes make noises when they start to fail. The fans that cool the CPU and other components can begin to rattle or buzz as the bearings wear out. Hard drives and optical drives with moving platters and heads can also start to make scraping, clicking, or grinding noises as the mechanical parts deteriorate.
If you think a physical component is making noise, try to isolate the sound by stopping each fan or drive one at a time. See if the noise goes away when a specific fan or drive is halted. This can help pinpoint the culprit. Replacing the noisy hardware with a new part should resolve the issue. Listen closely to identify where the sound is originating from inside the computer.
Sources:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/technology-explained–642325965619835489/
Background Processes
Some programs running in the background randomly make noises. This can happen with system processes, antivirus software, media players, and other applications running in the system tray or background. These programs may sometimes access the hard drive, utilize system resources, or generate alert sounds which can be heard through the computer’s speakers (Zhou 2003).
Unnecessary background processes can create plenty of noises and should be disabled or removed if not needed. Use Task Manager to view all processes and identify any unwanted programs. Additionally, adjust the notification settings for antivirus software and other apps to disable unneeded sounds effects (ResearchGate). Keeping background processes to a minimum will reduce the likelihood of random noises.
Utilities to Identify Sounds
There are several apps available that can help identify mysterious or unknown sounds coming from your computer. One popular option is SoundHound
(cited from: https://www.itechtics.com/identify-programs-making-sound-windows/). SoundHound is a free app available for both iOS and Android that can listen to any sound and attempt to identify it. You simply open the app and hold your phone’s microphone near the source of the sound. SoundHound will sample a few seconds of audio and then show you what it thinks the sound might be. This can be helpful for identifying system sounds, app notifications, or other odd noises coming from your computer that you can’t immediately place.
Other apps like Shazam (cited from: https://www.itechtics.com/identify-programs-making-sound-windows/) offer similar functionality. While these apps are designed for music identification, they can also pick up on and identify other types of sounds pretty accurately. So if you hear something strange coming from your computer speakers, try using one of these sound identification utilities to see if it can name that tune and help you figure out what program or system process is making the noise.
Check Task Manager
One of the easiest ways to find what program is making a noise on your Windows computer is to open up Task Manager and monitor it when the sound occurs. Task Manager shows all processes and applications currently running, as well as their resource usage. To open Task Manager, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc or right-click the taskbar and select “Task Manager”.
When you hear the mystery sound again, quickly check Task Manager to see which processes are running. Look for any unusual processes or spikes in CPU, memory, or disk usage that coincide with the sound. This can help narrow down the culprit. You can also go to the “Details” tab in Task Manager and sort the processes by CPU usage when the sound occurs to see which ones are most active. According to itechtics.com, the process making the sound will likely show increased resource usage.
So in summary, Task Manager gives you insight into what’s running on your PC. By monitoring it when sounds occur, you can catch what program is making the noise based on coinciding resource usage. This is an easy first troubleshooting step to identify the source.
Conclusion
In summary, mysterious noises or other auditory alerts on your computer could stem from a variety of sources. Start by checking your notification settings to ensure no unnecessary sounds are enabled. Keep your drivers up-to-date, and run malware scans regularly to catch anything malicious. Examine physical components like fans and hard drives to see if the noise correlates with their activity. Review background processes as well for culprits. If the source remains elusive, specialized utilities can help identify computer sounds and pinpoint their origin. As a last resort, monitor the Task Manager for spikes in resource usage that coincide with the noises.
With persistence and the right tools, mysterious computer noises can usually be diagnosed and resolved. The specific steps required will depend on your machine and environment. If the noise does not have an obvious cause and is not impacting performance, it may be harmless. For continued troubleshooting assistance, consult with a technician.
Further Resources
Here are some useful links with more information on troubleshooting strange computer noises:
- Investigate and diagnose strange noises from your computer – TechRepublic article on isolating and identifying odd sounds coming from your PC.
- How to Diagnose and Troubleshoot Strange Noises from Your PC – MakeUseOf guide to pinpointing the source of unexplained sounds.
- Why Is My Computer Making a Weird Noise? – How-To Geek explores potential causes of strange computer noises.
- Weird Noises From the Computer and How to Fix Them – Lifewire examines odd PC sounds and how to address them.